Austin Hooper · Dawson Knox · 2026 week 5

Austin Hooper or Dawson Knox?

Wondering who you should start this week — Austin Hooper or Dawson Knox? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Austin Hooper — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.1 points. The matchup leans Austin Hooper (BAL allow the 19th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 5	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Austin Hooper START	vs BAL	3.3	19th	5	–	healthy
Dawson Knox	@ LAR	3.2	29th · tough	4.4	–	healthy

TEs vs BAL recently: Juwan Johnson 6.6 pts (W2) · Jake Ferguson 6.3 pts (W3) · Gunnar Helm 2.5 pts (W4).

TEs vs LAR recently: Isaiah Likely 3.3 pts (W2) · Nate Adkins 6.8 pts (W3) · Zach Ertz 1.3 pts (W4).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.1 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Austin Hooper has the higher floor (1.2) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Dawson Knox has the higher ceiling (7.2) — the play if you need points.
Austin Hooper is steady — about 13% less volatile week to week than a typical TE projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Austin Hooper faces BAL, 19th most generous to TEs.
Dawson Knox faces LAR, 29th most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Their trade values are effectively even — a one-for-one is a fair swap on the numbers.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More TE decisions

Austin Hooper or AJ Barner?Austin Hooper or Pat Freiermuth?Austin Hooper or Matt Hibner?Dawson Knox or Matt Hibner?Dawson Knox or Foster Moreau?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.